Lily Evans was cleaning off her desk in the heads room on the crisp Saturday morning of her 17th birthday, she was just about to throw away what looked like a scrunched up, used napkin when she noticed there were words written on it:

Lily

You are a ray of sunshine,

In a world that’s sometimes grey.

The magic of your company,

Will brighten up the day.

You’ve guided me through bad times,

Wiped away my tears,

And brought me so much joy,

As we’ve travelled through the year.

It warms my heart to know,

You chose me as your friend,

A loyal loving person,

On whom I can depend.

If I could have one wish,

I’d make it just for you...

I’d ask happiness for its blessing

On everything you do.

Happy 17th! Lily, my flower

‘Lily, my flower’ she thought; there was only one person that called her that...James Potter. But he hadn’t called her that since before they agreed to be friends at the beginning of the year. Her eyes glazed with tears and she re-read the poem and thought about how her relationship with James had changed over the last few months. Not once all year had James badgered her or asked her out.

He had been her friend when she most needed him. Being called mudblood by Severus last year had put her in a bad place; she barely talked to anyone but Remus for weeks until him, James and Sirius had coaxed her out of her shell again. During the Christmas holidays she lost her parents to the death eaters and the relationship with her sister Petunia had shattered into even more pieces; James had been there to give her support when she cried when they were alone in the heads room.

She ran from the heads room and to the griffindor’s dormitories. Even though the heads had the privilege of dorms to themselves which joined to the heads room James had decided to stay in the boy’s dorm with his friends. She entered the room of sleeping boys; Frank, Remus, Peter, Sirius and James. They were all still snoring softly in their beds even though it was 10am already.

Lilly tip-toed over to James’s bed, he was lying on his side, lips parted slightly and his glasses askew. Lilly daintily prodded him on the shoulder.

James stirred and blinked the sleep from his eyes, amazed at the sight before him.

“Thank you James, for the poem... I know it was you. Well... thanks for everything you’ve done this year really. ” Lilly said in a hushed whisper so as not to wake up the others.

“Oh that’s okay you needed a little pick me up” he yawned sleepily.

“How in the name of Merlin are you still tired Potter, I mean James?! Its 10am!” she laughed quietly.

“We stayed up late playing exploding snap” He shrugged, sitting up in bed.

“Well....”

“Well what Evans? I mean Lily”

“Aren’t you going to ask me?”

“Ask you what?” He asked confused.

“I guess not” She sighed. “I’ll ask you then... James... Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me? On a date?”

“Honest?” He squeaked in shock.

“Siriusly” She laughed and he laughed with her.

Lily then did the unexpected; she kissed James lightly on the lips. Although the kiss barely lasted a second before a voice interrupted them.

“I knew you’d come around Evans!”

The couple broke apart startled by the cry and turned to the owner of the voice.

Sirius Black stood at the foot of the bed, a smug look upon his face. Accompanied by a smiling Remus Lupin and a shocked Peter Pettigrew; it seemed that their laugher had woke the other marauders; Frank remained in his bed grumbling about the noise.

James grabbed the pillow from behind his head and flung it at his three friends.

“Sod off Padfoot! You’re ruining the best moment of our pathetically short lives!” He yelled.

And he tried to return to kissing Lily as if they weren’t there. But she pushed him away blushing furiously, looking guiltily at over at Remus.

“Well I must say Lily it would have been nice if you’d told me you were planning on dating my best mate” He chuckled.

“Merlin Moony leave the poor girl alone. I love you Lily Evans” James said kissing her cheek.

“I love you too... James. Now if you’ll all excuse me I must return to the heads dorm I have.... prefects timetables to organise” She giggled in reply, blushing as she left the room.

“Yea right!” yawned Frank Longbottom as he turned onto his other side and fell back to sleep.